Any questions?
Good.
Event theatre rather depends on them.
Here's what you need to know before joining an Insolent Retinue training block.
WHAT EXACTLY AM I BOOKING? One complete four-week event-theatre training block. Each block consists of four two-hour sessions built around one specially written story. The first three sessions use that story to explore practical event-theatre skills. The fourth is The Long Form — an extended interactive improvisation in which you put those skills into practice. Booking is for the complete block rather than individual sessions.
IS THIS AN ACTING CLASS? Yes — but with a very specific focus. Insolent Retinue explores the skills actors need when working in event theatre: character, improvisation, audience interaction, storytelling, plot discipline and ensemble. We assume you already have some acting or performance experience. We then explore what happens when you take those existing skills into a performance environment without fixed dialogue.
IS IT AN IMPROV CLASS? Not exactly. Improvisation is a major part of event theatre, but you aren't completely free to invent whatever you like. There is an established fictional world. There are facts. There are relationships. There is a story. The challenge is learning to improvise freely within that structure. THE FACTS ARE FIXED. THE PERFORMANCE ISN'T.
IS IT A MURDER-MYSTERY CLASS? Murder mysteries are an excellent training ground for event theatre because they naturally involve characters, secrets, conflicting objectives, information and direct interaction. The Long Form may often use a murder-mystery-style structure. But the skills we're developing apply much more widely to event, immersive and interactive performance. Different blocks may use very different kinds of stories.
DO I NEED ACTING EXPERIENCE? Yes. Insolent Retinue is designed for people with some previous acting or performance experience. You don't need to be a professional actor and you don't need formal drama-school training. You might be an amateur performer, drama student, returning actor or working professional. What matters is that you already have some experience of performing. This isn't an introduction to acting. HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DO I NEED? There isn't a required number of productions or years. If you've performed before, understand the basics of creating a character and are comfortable working practically with other actors, the training may be suitable for you. If you're unsure, contact us before booking. DO I NEED EVENT-THEATRE EXPERIENCE? No. That's what we're here to explore.
DO I NEED TO BE GOOD AT IMPROVISATION? No. You also don't need to be particularly quick, funny or clever. Good event-theatre improvisation is much more about listening and responding than producing brilliant ideas on demand. If improvisation makes you slightly nervous, that doesn't mean the training isn't for you.
WHY FOUR SESSIONS? Because we want the story to develop with you. The first sessions give you time to explore your character, relationships, objectives and the skills needed to work within an unpredictable story. By Session Four, you know enough to enter The Long Form confidently without knowing exactly how it will unfold. DO I HAVE TO ATTEND ALL FOUR? You should plan to. The sessions form one connected experience and other actors may be relying upon your character being part of the story. We understand that unexpected circumstances happen, but if you already know you cannot attend one of the dates, please contact us before booking. CAN I BOOK JUST ONE SESSION? No. Insolent Retinue blocks aren't drop-in classes. The four sessions are designed as one complete training experience. CAN I DO MORE THAN ONE BLOCK? Absolutely. Every half term brings a different specially written story, with new characters, relationships and performance challenges. The underlying event-theatre skills remain important, but you'll be applying them in a different fictional world. There is no Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced sequence. Returning actors can simply keep encountering new challenges.
CHARACTERS & PREPARATION WILL I GET A SCRIPT? No. There is no conventional dialogue script. You'll receive information about your character and the fictional world. That information may develop as the block progresses. Your job is to understand enough to play confidently — not memorise exactly what you're going to say. DO I CREATE MY OWN CHARACTER? The foundations of your character are provided as part of the specially written story. You'll then explore how that character thinks, behaves and responds through the training. That gives everyone enough structure to belong to the same fictional world while leaving plenty of room for individual performance choices. HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO LEARN? Enough to understand your character and the information that matters to them. We aren't interested in testing your memory. We want you to know the material well enough that you can listen and respond rather than desperately trying to remember your next line. There isn't one. CAN I INVENT THINGS ABOUT MY CHARACTER? Yes — within reason. We encourage actors to add detail and bring the fictional world to life. But there's an important principle: INVENT DETAIL. PROTECT PLOT. Inventing your character's favourite restaurant probably won't hurt anything. Inventing a secret marriage to another character might. We'll explore that distinction during the training. CAN MY CHARACTER LIE? Absolutely. Characters can lie, evade, deflect and manipulate. The actor simply can't change the established facts of the story because they're inconvenient. Your character can lie. The actor can't rewrite the plot.
WHAT IS THE LONG FORM? The Long Form is Session Four. Instead of stopping and starting individual exercises, you enter the fictional world as your character and sustain an extended event-theatre improvisation. You'll work with the other actors, the developing story and a small number of invited Guests. There is no fixed dialogue and no certainty about exactly how events will unfold. IS THE LONG FORM A PUBLIC PERFORMANCE? No. It's a training environment, not a public commercial event. Its purpose is to give actors practical experience of sustaining character and story over an extended period.
WHO ARE THE GUESTS? Guests help recreate one of the most important elements of event theatre: interaction with people who haven't rehearsed with you. They may talk to characters, ask questions and follow whatever interests them within the story. They aren't there to deliberately derail the session. They're there because event theatre changes the moment somebody enters the fictional world who doesn't know what you're planning. WILL THE GUESTS BE ACTING? Not necessarily. They don't need to perform characters themselves. Their job is to enter the world, interact and respond naturally.
PRACTICAL QUESTIONS WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? For the training sessions, wear something comfortable that allows you to work and move freely. If a particular Long Form requires anything different, we'll tell you in advance. DO I NEED COSTUME? Not normally for the first three sessions. Depending on the story, we may suggest simple character-appropriate clothing or accessories for The Long Form. You won't be expected to spend large amounts of money on costume. DO I NEED TO BRING ANYTHING? Bring any character or story information you've been given and something to make notes with. We'll let you know in advance if a particular session requires anything else. WHERE DOES THE TRAINING TAKE PLACE? 5th Floor 55 Newhall Street Birmingham Details for the current block can always be found on the Next Block page. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN A BLOCK? Places are deliberately limited so everyone has meaningful opportunities to perform, interact and develop. The exact group size may vary by block. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Each block is priced as one complete four-session experience rather than four separate classes. The current block price is shown on the Next Block page.
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WILL THIS GET ME PROFESSIONAL ACTING WORK? There are no guarantees of professional work. Insolent Retinue develops event-theatre performers and aims to build relationships with partner event companies. Where appropriate, that may create opportunities for good performers to become visible to companies looking for actors with these skills. Those companies make their own casting decisions. IS THE TRAINING AN AUDITION? No. You're paying for training. Not an audition. Not a place on a casting list. And not a promise of professional work. WILL EVENT COMPANIES WATCH THE TRAINING? From time to time, representatives from partner event companies may be invited to observe or participate in a training environment or Long Form. This won't happen on every block and isn't guaranteed as part of your booking. If an industry guest is attending, we'll tell the group beforehand. DO I NEED TO TRAIN WITH INSOLENT RETINUE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES? No. Experienced performers with relevant event-theatre skills can register their professional interest separately without attending paid training. [REGISTER PROFESSIONAL INTEREST] DOES INSOLENT RETINUE PRODUCE EVENTS? No. Insolent Retinue specialises in event-theatre training and performer development. We aim to develop relationships with partner event companies that create and deliver professional events. Our role is to develop performers and, where appropriate, help them become visible to those companies.
STILL NOT SURE? I'M INTERESTED, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I'M EXPERIENCED ENOUGH. Get in touch. Tell us briefly about your acting or performance experience and we'll help you decide whether the training is appropriate. I'M NERVOUS ABOUT IMPROVISING. That's fine. You don't need to arrive fearless. The whole point of the first three sessions is to give you tools, structure and experience before The Long Form. We won't simply hand you a character on the first night and shout: “Improvise for two hours.” WHAT IF I GET SOMETHING WRONG? Then we'll have something useful to work with. This is training. Experimenting, making choices, discovering that something didn't work and trying another approach are part of the process. The aim isn't perfection. It's becoming better equipped for the next unexpected moment.